Show me Your Ljubljana is an endeavor to seek out a collective consciousness about ‘Sense of Place’, through nostalgia, invention, interaction and song. I was the provocateur. The people of Ljubljana pondered, asked questions of themselves, and showed me what they’ve got. I, in return, am showing Ljubljana back to them, and to tourists, through fresh eyes.

As I collected 30 maps and 50 destinations, I made daily journeys, following every route on every map. Some maps had only a few red dots. Others were intricate treasure hunts. Some participants led me on adventures. I discovered not only what I asked for: “someplace I wouldn’t find on my own”, but also personal histories, moments of being entirely lost, and serendipitous experiences.

The Ljubljana Tourist Bureau became a week-long performance piece where I stood in front of the Tourist Information Center, collecting and disseminating information about Ljubljana. I had a temporary printed form offering some of the “Suggested Journeys and Experiences”. The public could either take information or offer a suggestion.

I had an equal mix of locals and tourists visiting me, and gave out information to about 120 individuals or groups. I got multiple responses, from “Will you be nicer to us than the people inside” (the TIC)? to “I don’t need this- I’ve seen everything in Ljubljana”. That may be true, but not through my eyes.

"Pokažite mi Svojo Ljubljano", je poskus, ki si nadeja poiskati kolektivno zavest o 'občutku za prostor', skozi nostalgijo, inventiovnost, interakcijo in pesem. Jaz sem bila provokator. Ljudje Ljubljane so tuhtali, premlevali, se poglabljali v sebe in mi pokazali rezultat svojega samoizpraševanja. Jaz sem njim in pa tudi turistom, v zameno, pokazala Ljubljano nazaj, skozi sveže in nove oči.

Sproti, ko sem zbirala 30 map in 50 destinacij, sem se podajala na redne dnevne pohode, ki so sledili vsem označenim potem. Nekatere mape niso imele nič več, kot le nekaj rdečih pikic. Druge so spet bile zapletene, a podrobne poti do zaklada. Nekateri sodelujoči, so me celo peljali dogodivščinam naproti. Odkrila nisem le to, kar sem si zadala - "lokacije, ki jih sama nikoli ne bi mogla odkriti", pač pa sem dobila osebne zgodovine, trenutke popolne izgubljenosti in srečna naključja, ki so naredila celotno popotovanje nepozabno.

Ljubljanski turistični biro, je postal tedenski projekt predstavitev, kjer sem stala pred Turističnim informacijskim centrom in zbirala ter širila podatke o Ljubljani. Imela sem provizorno kopijo obrazca, ki je ponujal nekaj "priporočenih potovanj in izkušenj". Ljudje so lahko dobili in dajali informacije ter predloge.

Obiskalo me je približno enako število turistov in lokalnih ljudi. Informacije sem posredovala nekje 120. posameznikom in skupinam. Prejela sem raznovrstne odzive, kot recimo "ali boste mar bolj prijazni do nas, kot so bili ljudje znotraj?" (v Turističnem informacijskem centru?) in pa tudi "to jaz ne rabim- vse kar je v Ljubljani za videti, sem že videl". To mogoče drži, vendar tega nisi videl skozi moje oči.

Suggested Journeys & Experiences Ljubljana Jingle Orchestra Community Bulletin Board Artist As Cartographer... Photo Gallery

Thank You / Hvala!
to the following:

and...

Neja Tomšić & Martin Bricelj; Dragana Alferevi & Dejan Srhoj; Zlata, Jeff, Tito, Lučka & Ana; Urban & LAN-ettes; Thierno Diallo; Nedelko Cocej Minatti; Neža Mrevlje; Dejan Bucalo & Urška Rakovec; Dašo Benko; the Ljubljana Tourist Information Center; Jernej Rot & Marine Lavaupot; Tovarna ROG; Koromandija; To Je To; BiKoFe.

And all participants/udeleženi:

Ljubljana Jingle Orchestra members:
Ana, Dragana, Dejan, Dejan, Igor, Jernej, Lexa, Marine, Martin, Neja, Nina, Soja, Thierno, Tijana, Urška, Voja & 2 young guys at Rog

Mappers:
Ana, Andreja, Angela, Barbara, Blaž, Bobby, Boris, Daniela, Dašo, Dejan, Dorotea, Dragan, Dragana, Dunja, Dušan Goraz, Igor, Janez, Kaja, Lea, Lili, Maja, Neja, Robert, Selma, Simona, Sofija, Tea, Thierno, Tijana, Urban, Vesna, Zlata, Zsolt, Želko.

Translations by Neja Tomšić and Dašo Benko.